The Jing manor study was located at the front of the estate. When the Prime Minister was still alive, he had done this as to immediately receive any news that had arrived from the imperial court. It was fortunate that the street was relatively quiet, or who knows how many important document would have been ruined.

Jing Wen was sitting on a mahogany chair with a small piece of paper in his left hand. His right hand was copying something.

Zhou Aimin was sitting by his hand, observing Jing Wen transcribing the paper and occasionally making comments. He had been in this posture for the past two days, but the sparks of curiosity were still present in his eyes after such a long time.

The paper before him had thick, coiled lines of ink that appeared akin to a drunken snake, appearing particularly pitiful. Perhaps it was because Jing Wen was blind, and attempting to copy that piece of paper through his perception alone that the end product seemed so similar, yet different to the patterns on the sheet.

To crudely describe it, it appears as though a child had tried to imitate the pattern.

The willow branches were dancing in the breeze, occasionally bending down low to dip into the lake akin to soaking a brush into ink. The ripples on the lake’s surface broke the reflection to pieces, before crashing against the study.

Eventually, Jing Wen placed down the brush in his hand on the inkstone. Stretching his wrist, he kept that piece of paper in his hand.

Zhou Aimin pushed over a plate of dried dates and said, “When I was talking with Consort Li, she made some rather interesting remarks.”

Jing Wen had always been suspicious of Consort Li, so he was particularly interested in Zhou Aimin’s conservation with her. But since Zhou Aimin had never brought up, Jing Wen felt it would be disrespectful to ask.

Zhou Aimin did not wait for Jing Wen’s confirmation before saying, “The script for the heavens (天) and man (人) is very similar. Especially when considering the character of a great (大).”

Jing Wen took a dried date from the plate and slowly chewed on it. He said, “Consort Li has some interesting thoughts.”

“The script of great (大) when combined with one (一) forms the heaven. Isn’t Consort Li is suggesting that when one becomes the only ‘great person’, they could become the heaven, or at least form a direct link between them and it?”

Jing Wen rubbed the jade thumb ring and frowned. He said, “ Consort Li is said to be at the peak of ‘xian’ state, but there are at least two others in the same realm - how can her judgement be taken so directly?” Jing Wen had a slightly self-deprecating smile as he continued, “Besides, I’m not even great; how can I be heaven?”

Zhou Aimin took the initiative to pour him and Jing Wen a cup of tea. He said with a faint smile, “Fellow Jing, I’m not implying for you to become the sole expert under heaven. Rather, I suspect the symbols on the piece of paper was made by someone of that realm.”

“What do you mean Fellow Zhou?”

Zhou Aimin took the hot cup of tea and blew at the bubbles at its surface. “You’ve been spending the past two days copying the pattern on the paper, but perhaps you can’t copy it?”

Hearing this coming from Zhou Aimin, Jing Wen almost choked on the date seed. He sighed and said, “Then what should I do?”

Zhou Aimin sipped the tea and said, “Don’t strive too much. Just imitate the lines is enough.”

Jing Wen shook his head and answered seriously, “There is only a week before Hua Quanfu returns.”

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A wry smile emerged on Zhou Aimin’s face as he looked at Jing Wen and said, “Some people that suffered great injuries had to learn how to walk again. Fellow Jing, although you were once a Qi Manifestation expert, you still have to approach things slowly.”

Jing Wen knew that despite Zhou Aimin’s words, he was likely the person was anxious about the arrival of the elixir of immortality. Other mays dread losing the opportunity to obtain eternal life, but Zhou Aimin’s worries lays in the consequence for the Great Zhu, for him to urge Jing Wen to slow down shows that Zhou Aimin’s sentiment towards him is genuine.

Still, Jing Wen said with a deep voice, “Fellow Zhou, do you know what is the difference between a Heart Purification and Qi Manifestation expert compared to all the stages before?”

Zhou Aimin honestly shook his head.

Jing Wen said, “Cultivators that has entered the Qi Manifestation state are no longer only capable of absorbing and observing the patterns and fluctuations of Qi, but also understand the principles behind their movement. They can predict when Qi will be concentrated in one location, or when it dissipates the next.”

Jing Wen tapped against the table and continued, “Although most cultivators are referred to as ‘experts’, that’s really just through the eyes of an ordinary observer. In truth, only a Qi Manifestation cultivator can hold such a title. They can understand and predict the flow and fluctuation of the world, and as such, naturally can sense even the slightest change of the Qi of Earth and Heavens. With such an ability, any enemy below the Qi Manifestation state will always be within their senses and awareness. That is to say, they can’t be beaten by opponents below their state.”

Zhou Aimin looked at the heavy ink that had gathered on the inkstone and pondered for a long time. Then he asked, “Are you capable of this?”

Jing Wen said, “I’ve once crossed the threshold and reached Qi Manifestation.”

“Once you’ve grasped it, you cannot let it go. Although my state has fallen, my senses remain at the state of Qi Manifestation.” Jing Wen paused for a short moment, before continuing, “It is also through this method that I could still ‘see’.”

A faint breeze blew into the study, creating ripples on the deep ink. The waves on the ink appeared a little similar to the creases present on the Little Daoist’s forehead.

Zhou Aimin asked with light in his eyes, “So if you meet a Qi Manifestation cultivator, can you defeat him?”

Jing Wen shook his head. “Only a Qi Manifestation cultivator than defeat another Qi Manifestation cultivator. Although there is a small chance to cross states to defeat someone with higher cultivation than yours, Qi Manifestation, being at the peak of mortal cultivation, is nothing like the three states before it.”

Jing Wen continued, “To defeat a Qi Manifestation cultivator, one needs to capable of hiding their Qi fluctuations. Except in very rare cases, the only method to do that is through creating ‘barriers’ that prevent the outside world from discovering their actions. That is something only Qi Manifestation cultivators are capable of.”

Zhou Aimin watched as snow began to fall outside, covering the beauty of the courtyard. He asked, “Fellow Jing, what are those rare cases? Can you employ them?”

Jing Wen answered, “Gao Shu has a talent of completely concealing his Qi within his body, which forms a natural barrier against a Qi Manifestation expert’s detection. But even with it, he is incapable of seriously harming a Qi Manifestation cultivator.”

“Are there any examples where one has succeeded before? Even one is enough.”

“As far as I am aware, there are no records of a case where a Body Supplementation cultivator succeed in defeating a Qi Manifestation expert.”

Zhou Aimin looked a little disappointed.

Jing Wen looked at him and said comfortingly, “However, there are also no cases of Qi Manifestation cultivators that had lost before regaining parts of their cultivation. Particularly when the cultivator is an archer.”

Zhou Aimin’s eyes lit up as he continued to listen to Jing Wen speculations.

He understood that since Jing Wen had not yet given up, he must have some sort of speculations that keeps up his confidence.

He looked at the blind youth and said with a flushed face, “Fellow Jing, what is your proposal? You may be creating a new precedent never seen before in the world!”

“Archers are well known for their capabilities to kill beyond their state.”

Jing Wen continued, “This is because other cultivators have to appear before their target before killing them, allowing the movement of their muscles, fluctuation of emotions and flow of Qi to be easily detected, bowman only require their arrows to kill. As long as the arrow is not detected before reaching a certain distance, a Qi Manifestation cultivator should be unable to react to it due to its speed.”

Zhou Aimin noticed that Jing Wen’s expressions remained unchanged. He asked, “Since you have already devised such a method, why do you still need to advance so quickly?”

Jing Wen ‘looked’ at Zhou Aimin and said calmly, “Most Qi Manifestation cultivators value their life above all else, and always wear light armour that cannot be penetrated by arrows beneath their clothes. For such a reason, only an arrow fused with heart-blood or strengthened with Qi can truly do harm to them.”

Only a Heart Purification cultivator can use heart blood. As for using Qi to strengthen arrows, that is something only Qi Manifestation cultivators are capable of.

The snowfall became heavier in Lin’an. Even the deep ink within the study seemed to congeal beneath the harsh wind brought into the study.

Within the study, everything was quiet.

After a pregnant pause, Jing Wen said to Zhou Aimin in a severe voice, “That’s why I’m in a rush.”

Zhou Aimin was silent.

Jing Wen ‘looked’ into Zhou Aimin’s eyes and continued, “You’ve been scrambling about as well. It’s only after meeting with Consort Li that you can feel at ease.”

Zhou Aimin sighed. “I can’t deny that.”

“It’s good that you understand,” Jing Wen said.

Zhou Aimin poured a cup of tea before passing it to Jing Wen. He said, “But let’s finish the tea first.”